Brian’s Reflection: Monday, April 12, 2010

[Late in the day! Oh, the Blessed Sloth of Retirement !]

Who taught thee first to sigh, alas, my heart

Who taught thee first to sigh, alas, my heart ?

Who taught thy tongue the woeful words of plaint ?

Who filled your eyes with tears of bitter smart ?

Who gave thee grief and made thy joys to faint ?

Who first did paint with colors pale thy face ?

Who first did break thy sleeps of quiet rest?

Above the rest in court who gave thee grace ?

Who made thee strive in honour to be best ?

In constant truth to bide so firm and sure,

To scorn the world regarding but thy friends ?

With patient mind each passion to endure,

In one desire to settle to the end ?

Love then thy choice wherein such choice thou bind,

As nought but death may ever change thy mind.

Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, poet; patron of the
Oxford Men’s Acting Company; born on this date, 1550

There is a whole pile of people who claim that de Vere was the “real” Shakespeare. And they have websites advancing their “cause”. Of course, one can’t tell from the poem whether the Beloved is male or female – and that would make one think of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Bottom line however: we’ll never know – and I like that Life has its Mysteries!

So, a poem for your afternoon or Vesper meditation! Is there someone, or perhaps some great Truth or Wisdom, that has “taught thee first to sigh”, or any of the other human things that De Vere ascribes to his Love-object? It would be a unique one or thing – could be Alice or John or Beauty or ……

But whatever: I like de Vere’s “advice”, his insight – and I dedicate this to Liz and Philip who will wed each other in two weeks:

Love then thy choice wherein such choice thou bind,


As nought but death may ever change thy mind.

Love is indeed a choice, an act of the Will. We must learn to choose wisely and, having chosen, give it our all, with no thought of abandoning Love until forced to it by Gentle Death.

Brian+